The present invention relates to a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus and, more particularly, to a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus for performing a recording/reproducing operation of information by loading a tape cassette onto a reel driving table, winding the tape around a rotary drum at a predetermined winding angle and traveling or moving the tape with a capstan and a pinch roller. In particular, the present invention relates to a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus comprising a master gear rotated more than one revolution, a slide member interlocking with the master gear, and a switch provided around the slide member, so that the operation mode of the apparatus is selected according to the movement of the slide member.
Deck mechanisms for performing a recording/reproducing operation for a magnetic tape with a rotary head drum are employed in video cassette tape recorders (VCRs), camcorders, and digital audio tape (DAT) recorders. Deck mechanisms installed in such devices are equipped with a cassette loading device for carrying a cassette to a predetermined position of the deck, two reel driving tables on which two tape reels of the carried cassette are seated, for selectively driving one of the two tape reels, a brake for selectively braking the two reel driving tables, a tape loading device for loading a tape onto a head drum, a tension pole device for maintaining tension of the tape by applying pressure to the loaded tape, pinch roller driving means for pressing the tape between a capstan and a pinch roller, and at least one guiding means for guiding the traveling tape.
Such a deck mechanism executes various functions such as basic recording/playback and fast forward winding/rewinding, or functions such as reproduction, fast search or reverse reproduction of a still picture or slow-mode picture, according to a conventional control program.
In order to simplify the structure of the deck mechanism and stabilize the operation thereof, it is necessary to improve the driving relationship of various parts of the deck.
Typically, the cassette loading device and the deck are driven by separate motors, and move independently of the various parts of the deck. Thus, the system is very complicated and the productivity thereof is low at a high cost.
To overcome such problems, Korean Patent Publication No. 93-8495 discloses a cassette loading device and deck which are driven with a single motor. Also, a cam gear having a plurality of spiral cam grooves for transmitting power to various parts of the deck is used therein. However, in this device, since interlocking pins of the various parts are inserted into and moved along the plurality of cam grooves formed in the cam gear, mode conversion is not fast. Moreover, the interlocking pins are easily detached from the cam grooves, which frequently causes malfunction. Also, intermediate components for connecting various parts of the deck with the cam gear must be added, which impedes the attainment of a simplified device and reduced costs.
In consideration of the aforementioned related art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus whose structure is simplified and whereby the movements of various parts of a deck are fast and operation is stabilized.
To accomplish the above object, a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a deck including a rotating head drum, a capstan motor having a shaft and a pinch roller disposed adjacent to the head drum, and two reel driving tables onto which a tape reel of a tape cassette is seated; a motor installed in the deck for generating power; cassette loading means for loading/unloading the tape cassette onto/from the two reel driving tables; a master gear member rotated by the motor; a main slide member having a rack gear engaged with the master gear member; tape loading means, interlocked with the main slide member, for loading a tape of the tape cassette toward the head drum; pinch roller driving means, interlocking with the main slide member and either pressed against or separated from the shaft of the capstan motor, for driving said pinch roller so that the tape is pressingly transferred; reel driving means, interlocked with the main slide member, for selectively driving the two reel driving tables; brake means, interlocked with the main slide member, for selectively braking the two reel driving tables; and mode identifying means, interlocked with the cassette loading means, for determining the recording feasibility of the tape.